Management of patients with electrical storm: an educational review

Electrical storm (ES) is a medical emergency that is defined as ≥ 3 separate ventricular tachycardia (VT) episodes causing ICD therapy within 24 h. Patients with ES have high risk for hospitalization, heart failure (HF) decompensation, in-hospital death. Furthermore, it is associated with significant anxiety and distress for the patients. Frequent triggers of ES are myocardial ischaemia, acute decompensation of HF, metabolic and electrolyte disorders, drug side-effects, increased sympathetic tone. Acute management of ES requires sedation, antiarrhythmic drugs and correction of the precipitating factors; although, in severe refractory cases, intubation, mechanical ventilation, and circulatory support might be necessary. Radiofrequency catheter ablation is superior than antiarrhythmic drugs to suppress the ES and is also frequently required to terminate the ES, as well as to achieve acute and long-term freedom of VT. Optimization of the ICD programming is crucial to reduce the burden of further appropriate and inappropriate shocks. Use of appropriate discrimination criteria and algorithms, ATPs and extending the detection times are important measures to reduce the burden of ES. In patients with end-stage HF, ES can be a sign of failing heart and can be refractory of treatment. In such cases, deactivation of the ICD therapy should be considered and discussed with patients and their care givers.